Bio and Non Bio powders/liquids

[ozzie908]

I have often wondered why there is the choice is it because bio powder cleans better from cold in our self heated washing machine and Non bio in hot fill washers/boilers? after all whats the point in using bio powder if you fill the tub with hot water surely that kills the enzymes? also does non bio clean by bleaching as its reccomended for whites?

I guess the above questions will be for the scientifically minded members amongst us??
Personally I have never knowingly bought Non bio as I never think it cleans as well at low temps from what I have seen of other peoples laundry.

Austin

 

[fido]

The enzymes do start to get killed off at temperatures above 40 degrees although they are selected from bacteria that can survive in hot springs. It is a good idea to sometimes do higher temperature washes to kill off bacteria in the residue build up on hidden surfaces of your machine. It is therefore logical to keep some non-bio for such washes and perhaps do a hot wash of towels every few months.
Some people claim to be allergic to the enzymes (usually α-amylase, a cellulase, a protease and a lipase) and they will look for non-bio powders. Other people have concerns about putting biological detergents in septic tanks:

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Environmental-Science-1471/2009/5/septic-tanks-detergents.htm

 

[launderess]

We've Been Down This Path Before

At least in the UK the whole thing about "Bio" vs "Non-Bio" detergents came to ahead back in the 1970's or 1980's (cannot remember now), when Persil decided it was going to discontinue producing detergents without enzymes in favour of those that did. Well there would have been less noise if the country had lost the fleet.

Apparently there exsisted then(and one assumes still) within the damp confines of the UK's shores enough persons whom believe enzymes are a dangerous to themselves and children. Mainly on the basis it does something to human skin or at least upsets their's and children.

There were protests, letters to the Times and dailes and so forth. In short order Persil reversed itself and now you have the status quo for both Unilever and many other laundry detergents sold in the UK; those with and without enzymes.

For most of the remaining modern world detergents without enzyems are thought of as lower shelf products from those that do. For instance all of P&G's top detergents (Tide, Gain, Cheer) contain enzymes, but many of the budget brands (Purex,All and so forth) do not, or at least not the advanced enzymatic cocktails found in the former.

To be fair when enzyme detergents first came upon the scene there was some problems with workers in those plants reporting skin and or breathing reactions. Since then however production methods have changed and enzymes are required to be reported on MSDS and similar.

Modern enzyme detergents work in a wide range of water temperatures; from cold (85F) right up to hot (120F) and perhaps above. As laundry habits have changed suppliers have been at work creating "Frankenzymes" that will withstand a variety of temps and or wash water conditions.

It is odd that detergents for infants/children's laundry should not contain enzymes as there isn't any better way to shift poo, goo, and spew stains. Non-enzyme detergents must rely upon stonger levels of surfactants, bleaches and OBAs to compensate, which may or may not produce equal results. [this post was last edited: 10/4/2012-14:48]

 

[dj-gabriele]

Apparently there exsisted them (and one assumes still) withi

I totally second that!
Here all the powders have enzymes in them, even cheap ones, only the dirty cheap chalk and sand like stuff don't have it.
All the "brand" detergents powders have enzymes: Dash, Dixan, AVA, Sole, etc...

The only detergents where they aren't used are those for wool/delicates or hand-washing.

 

[MrX]

As outlined above, it's a marketing decision in the UK and Ireland market only.

I wish someone would just introduce a good sensitive (with enzymes) detergent in this market and blow the whole bio vs non-bio myth out of the water!

As for bio being a problem in septic tanks, if anything it should be less of a problem.
The major issue you'd have with septic tanks is anything that would kill off bacteria or sometimes people don't like using powders because the zeolite clogs up that kind of waste treatment system.

If you've a septic tank, you're better off to avoid using chlorine bleach in particular, but enzyme detergents are not an issue.

 

[ronhic]

As outlined above, it's a marketing decision in the UK a

To some degree, yes.

Levers products here that do not contain enzymes (noon-bio) are marketed as 'Sensitive'.

 

[fido]

septic tanks

Yes, I didn't say there was a problem with bio powders into septic tanks but there is an urban (rural?) myth to that effect. The link I cited was saying the opposite, the higher phosphates in non-bio will accumulate in the septic tank as it can't absorb it effectively. I use bio powder and I'm on a septic tank but I discovered a few weeks ago that the washer water is going straight on the garden and is not plumbed to the septic.

 

[dj-gabriele]

Sensitive detergents with enzymes

Here Henkel had a "sensitive" line of detergents of the BioPresto Sensitive brand. The powder contained the same enzymes as the classic Dixan stuff.
But then all the line was discontinued in 2010 and BioPresto was re-launched with a most failed campaign like the original Italian one of the 70s.
Plus it was set at a low price point where it fought with their own cheap General detergent and now you hardly see it in stores.